Ho.c La`m Ngu*o*`i

Butterfly Kisses
We often learn the most from children. Sometime ago, a friend of mine punished his
3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Moneywas tight, and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the tree.

Nevertheless, the little girl brought the
gift to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you, Daddy."
He was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again when he found that the box was empty. He yelled at her, "Don't you know that when you give someone a present, there's supposed to be something inside of it?" The little girl
looked up at him with tears in her eyes and
said, "Oh, Daddy it's not empty. I blew kisses into the box. All for you, Daddy." The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged her forgiveness. My friend told me that he kept
that gold box by his bed for years. Whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold than a child.

Lengthy and Worth It

I've learned-
that you cannot make someone love you.
All you can do is be someone who can be loved.
The rest is up to them.

I've learned-
some people just don't care back.

I've learned-
that it takes years to build up trust,
and only seconds to destroy it.

I've learned-
that it's not what you have in your life
but who you have in your life that counts.

I've learned-
that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes.
After that, you'd better know something.

I've learned-
that you shouldn't compare
yourself to the best others can do.

I've learned-
that you can do something in an instant
that will give you heartache for life.

I've learned-
that it's taking me a long time
to become the person I want to be.

I've learned-
that you should always leave loved ones
with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I've learned-
that you can keep going
long after you can't.

I've learned-
that we are responsible for what we do,
no matter how we feel.

I've learned-
that either you control your attitude
or it controls you.

I've learned-
that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is
at first, the passion fades and there had
better be something else to take its place.

I've learned-
that heroes are the people who do what has to be done
when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I've learned-
that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I've learned-
that my best friend and I can do anything
or nothing and have the best time.

I've learned-
that sometimes the people you expect
to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help
you get back up.

I've learned-
that sometimes when I'm angry
I have the right to be angry,
but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I've learned-
that true friendship continues to grow,
even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.

I've learned-
that just because someone doesn't love you the way you
want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all
they have.

I've learned-
that maturity has more to do with
what types of experiences you've had
and what you've learned from them
and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I've learned-
that you should never tell a child
their dreams are unlikely or outlandish.
Few things are more humiliating, and what a tragedy it
would be if they believed it.

I've learned-
that your family won't always be there for you. It may
seem funny, but people you aren't related to can take
care of you and love you and teach you to trust people
again. Families aren't biological.

I've learned-
that no matter how good a friend is,
they're going to hurt you every once in a while
and you must forgive them for that.

I've learned-
that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you are to learn to forgive yourself.

I've learned-
that no matter how bad your heart is broken
the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I've learned-
that our background and circumstances may have influenced
who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I've learned-
that just because two people argue,
it doesn't mean they don't love each other
And just because they don't argue,
it doesn't mean they do.

I've learned-
that we don't have to change friends
if we understand that friends change.

I've learned-
that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret.
It could change your life forever.

I've learned-
that two people can look at the exact same thing
and see something totally different.

I've learned-
that no matter how you try to protect your children,
they will eventually get hurt and you will hurt in the process.

I've learned-
that your life can be changed in a matter of hours
by people who don't even know you.

I've learned-
that even when you think you have no more to give,
when a friend cries out to you, you will find the
strength to help.

I've learned-
that credentials on the wall
do not make you a decent human being.

I've learned-
that the people you care about most in life
are taken from you too soon.

I've learned-
that it's hard to determine where to draw
the line between being nice and not hurting people's
feelings and standing up for what you believe.

--Unknown--

Red Roses

" Red roses were her favorites, her name was also Rose.
And every year her husband sent them, tied with pretty bows.
The year he died, the roses were delivered to her door.
The card said, "Be my Valentine," like all the years before.

Each year he sent her roses, and the note would always say,
"I love you even more this year, than last year on this day."
"My love for you will always grow, with every passing year."
She knew this was the last time that the roses would appear.

She thought, he ordered roses in advance before this day.
Her loving husband did not know, that he would pass away.
He always liked to do things early, way before the time.
Then, if he got too busy, everything would work out fine.

She trimmed the stems, and placed them in a very special vase.
Then, sat the vase beside the portrait of his smiling face.
She would sit for hours, in her husband's favorite chair.
While staring at his picture, and the roses sitting there.

A year went by, and it was hard to live without her mate.
With loneliness and solitude, that had become her fate.
Then, the very hour, as on Valentines before,
The doorbell rang, and there were roses, sitting by her door.

She brought the roses in, and then just looked at them in shock.
Then, went to get the telephone, to call the florist shop.
The owner answered, and she asked him, if he would explain,
Why would someone do this to her, causing her such pain?

"I know your husband passed away, more than a year ago,"
The owner said, "I knew you'd call, and you would want to know."
"The flowers you received today, were paid for in advance."
"Your husband always planned ahead, he left nothing to chance."

"There is a standing order, that I have on file down here,
And he has paid, well in advance, you'll get them every year.
There also is another thing, that I think you should know,
He wrote a special little card...he did this years ago."

"Then, should ever, I find out that he's no longer here,
That's the card...that should be sent, to you the following year."
She thanked him and hung up the phone, her tears now flowing hard.
Her fingers shaking, as she slowly reached to get the card.

Inside the card, she saw that he had written her a note.
Then, as she stared in total silence, this is what he wrote...
"Hello my love, I know it's been a year since I've been gone,
I hope it hasn't been too hard for you to overcome."

"I know it must be lonely, and the pain is very real.
For if it was the other way, I know how I would feel.
The love we shared made everything so beautiful in life.
I loved you more than words can say, you were the perfect wife."

"You were my friend and lover, you fulfilled my every need.
I know it's only been a year, but please try not to grieve.
I want you to be happy, even when you shed your tears.
That is why the roses will be sent to you for years."

"When you get these roses, think of all the happiness,
That we had together, and how both of us were blessed.
I have always loved you and I know I always will.
But, my love, you must go on, you have some living still."

"Please...try to find happiness, while living out your days.
I know it is not easy, but I hope you find some ways.
The roses will come every year, and they will only stop,
When your door's not answered, when the florist stops to knock."

"He will come five times that day, in case you have gone out.
But after his last visit, he will know without a doubt,
To take the roses to the place, where I've instructed him,
And place the roses where we are, together once again."

(Author Unknown)

Slow Dance

Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round,
or listened to rain slapping the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly?s erratic flight,
or gazed at the sun fading into the night?
You better slow down,
don?t dance so fast,
time is short,
the music won?t last.

Do you run through each day on the fly,
when you ask ?How are you??,
do you hear the reply?
When the day is done, do you lie in your bed,
with the next hundred chores running through your head?
You better slow down,
don?t dance so fast,
time is short,
the music won?t last.

Ever told you child, we?ll do it tomorrow,
and in your haste, not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch, let a good friendship die,
?cause you never had time to call and say ?hi??
You better slow down,
don?t dance so fast,
time is short,
the music won?t last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere,
you miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
it?s like an unopened gift thrown away.
Life is not a race,
so take it slower,
hear the music before your song is over.

--Unknown--

I Wouldn?t Try To Be So Perfect
If I had my life to live over again,
I?d try to make more mistakes next time.
I wouldn?t try to be so perfect.
We all have perfection fetishes.
What difference does it make if you let people know you are imperfect?
They can identify with you then.
Nobody can identify with perfection.

I would relax more.
I?d be sillier than I?ve been on this trip.
In fact, I know very few things that I would take so seriously.
I?d be crazier.
I?d be less hygienic.
I?d take more chances.
I?d climb more mountains.
I?d watch more sunsets.
I?d go more places I?ve never seen.
I?d eat more ice cream and fewer beans.
I?d have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary ones.

You see, I was one of those people
who lived sensibly and sanely
hour after hour and day after day.
Oh, I?ve had my moments,
and if I had it to do all over again,
I?d have more of those moments.
In fact, I?d try to have nothing but beautiful moments;
moment by moment by moment.
In case you didn?t know it,
that?s the stuff life is made of?only moments.
Don?t miss the now.
I?ve been one of those people
who never went anywhere without a thermometer,
a hot water bottle, a gargle, a raincoat, and a parachute.
If I had it to do all over again,
I?d travel lighter next time.

If I had it to do all over again,
I?d start barefoot earlier in the spring
and stay that way until later in the fall.
I?d ride more merry-go-rounds,
I?d watch more sunrises,
and I?d play with more children.
If I had it to do over again?

--Unknown--

Good Thoughts
*It is good to know what we want, but it is better to realize how much we have.

*It is good to hope that our lives will make a difference in the world, but it is better to know that every day in every small way
we do make a difference in the world.

*It is important to make life happen. It is also important to let life happen.

*It does not matter so much that we are young or old. What matters so much is that we are open or closed.

*It is good to become successful in the eyes of the world. Even better is it to realize that true success is within and can be seen by the heart.

*It is fulfilling to be busy and involve, with wonderful people, and important things. It is also fulfilling to be alone, with yourself, and do nothing.

*The dreams we have for our lives are important and some do come true, but remember always that the universe has unknown and perfect dreams for us too.

*It is good to spend time pursuing our ambitions. It is also good to take time and know that many things we want to be ? we already are.

*It is fortunate to have material things that make us happy, but the most important things we will ever have will be in our hearts.

*It is good to be able to receive, but it is better to give, for the mystery of love is that when we give we become full.

*It is fortunate to have a view of the sun coming up in the morning. It is even more fortunate to feel the sun arise from within our hearts and shine, as we begin the new day.

*It is wonderful to have a lovely tree growing in our yards. It is even better to have a tree growing within, to give us roots so that we feel connected to all that grows on the Earth, and to give us boughs that reach out into the sky to remind us of our place in the heaven.

*It is beautiful to have flowers blooming in the garden. Even more beautiful is it to be
a flower blooming to be open and vulnerable? to be letting go, and offering our own beauty to the world.

(Source: "Good Thoughts" -- Susan Squellati Florence)

Simple, but meaningful ...
Many people will walk in and out or your life,
but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.

To handle yourself, use your head,
To handle others, use your heart.

Anger is only one letter short of danger.

If someone betrays you once, it's his fault,
if he betrays you twice, it's your fault.

Great minds discuss ideas;
Average minds discuss events;
Small minds discuss people.

The Creator Gives every bird it's food,
but He does not throw it into it's nest.

He who loses money, loses much;
He who loses a friend, loses more;
He who loses faith, loses all.

Beautiful young people are acts of nature,
but beautiful old people are works of art.

Learn from the mistakes of others.
You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.

The tongue weighs practically nothing,
but so few people can hold it

Instructions for Life

1. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
2. Memorize your favorite poem.
3. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have, or sleep all you want.
4. When you say, "I love you", mean it.
5. When you say, "I'm sorry", look the person in the eye.
6. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
7. Believe in love at first sight.
8. Never laugh at anyone's dreams.
9. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.
10. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.
11. Don't judge people by their relatives.
12. Talk slowly but think quickly.
13. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask,"Why do you want to know?"
14. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
15. Call your mom.
16. Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.
17. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
18. Remember the three R's: Respect for self, Respect for others, Responsibility for all your actions.
19. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
20. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
21. Smile when picking up the hone. The caller will hear it in your voice.
22. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.
23. Spend some time alone.
24. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
25. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
26. Read more books and watch less TV.
27. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll get to enjoy it a second time.
28. Trust in God but lock your car.
29. A loving atmosphere in your home is so important. Do all you can to create a tranquil harmonious home.
30. In disagreements with loved ones, deal with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.
31. Read between the lines.
32. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.
33. Be gentle with the earth.
34. Pray. There's immeasurable power in it.
35. Never interrupt when you are being flattered.
36. Mind your own business.
37. Don't trust a man/woman who doesn't close his/her eyes when you kiss.
38. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
39. If you make a lot of money, put it to use helping others while you are living. That is wealth's greatest satisfaction.
40. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a stroke of luck.
41. Learn the rules then break some.
42. Remember that the best relationship is one where your love for each other is greater than your need for each other.
43. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
44. Remember that your character is your destiny.
45. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

Heartwarmers....
1. It hurts to love someone and not be loved in return, but what is more painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let that person know how you feel.
2. Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one so that when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift.
3. Love is when you take away the feeling, the passion, and the romance in a relationship- and find out you still care for that person.
4. A sad thing in life is when you meet someone who means a lot to you, only to find out in the end that it was never meant to be and you just have to let go.
5. When the door of happiness closes, another opens but oftentimes we look so long at the closed door that we don't see the one which has been opened for us.
6. The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.
7. It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.
8. Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back! don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart but if it doesn't, be
content it grew in yours.
9. There are things you'd love to hear that you would never hear from the person whom you would like to hear them from, but don't be so deaf as not to hear it from the one who says it from his heart.
10. Never say goodbye if you still want to try - never give up if you still feel you can go on - never say you don't love a person anymore if you can't let go.
11. Love comes to those who still hope although they've been disappointed- to those who still believe although they've been betrayed, need to love those who still love
although they've been hurt before.
12. It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone and a day to love someone - but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.
13. Don't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Hope you find the one that makes you smile.
14. There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real! Hope you dream of that special someone.
15. Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.
16. May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy and enough money to buy me gifts.
17. Always put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the person, too.
18. A careless word may kindle strife; a cruel word may wreck a life; a timely word may level stress; a loving word may heal and bless.
19. The beginning of love is to let those we love be just themselves, and not twist them with our own image - otherwise, we love only the reflection of ourselves we find
in them.
20. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
21. Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives.
22. Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss and ends with a tear.
23. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past, you can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.
24. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

Time, $$$, and Love
A man came home from work late again, tired and irritated, to find his 5 year old son waiting for him at the door.

"Daddy, may I ask you a question ?"
"Yeah, sure, what is it ?" replied the man.
"Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?"
'That's none of your business! What makes you ask such a thing?" the man said angrily.

"I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?" pleaded the little boy.
"If you must know, I make $20.00 an hour."
"Oh," the little boy replied, head bowed.
Looking up, he said, "Daddy, may I borrow $9.00 please?"

The father was furious. "If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is just so you can borrow some to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you're being so selfish. I work long, hard hours everyday and don't have time for such childish games."

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even madder about the little boy's questioning. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money.

After an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think he may have been a little hard on his son. May be there was something he really needed to buy with that $9.00 and he really didn't ask for money very often.

The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.
"Are you asleep son?" he asked.
"No daddy, I'm awake," replied the boy.
"I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier," said the man. "It's been long day and I took my aggravation out on you. Here's that $9.00 you asked for."

The little boy sat straight up, beaming.
"Oh, thank you daddy!" he yelled.
Then, reaching under his pillow, he pulled out some more crumpled up bills. The man, seeing that the boy already had money, started to get angry again.

The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at the man.
"Why did you want more money if you already had some?" the father grumbled.
"Because I didn't have enough, but now I do," the little boy replied.
"Daddy, I have $20.00 now. Can I buy an hour of your time?"

-Unknown-

The Sun Is Always Shining
If we but look, we'll always find
That even the darkest day
Holds a little ray of sunshine
To guide us on our way.
We can find it in a friendly smile
Or in just a warm "hello"-
We will find it, if we're looking,
Almost every place we go.
And once we've found
The little ways
To let the sun shine through,
We'll find it there to guide us
In everything we do.

~unknown~

The Fence

There was a little boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Then it gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.
Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand
and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal
wound is as bad as a physical one. Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us.

Don't hestitate showing your friends how much you care !

-Unknown-

Patience

We don't have to wait for a tragedy to happen to learn some precious
lesson : Tuye^t' Ma Nu*~

A man came out of his home to admire his new truck. To his puzzlement,
his three-year-old son was happily hammering dents into the shiny
paint. The man ran to his son, knocked him away, hammered the
little boy's hands into a pulp as punishment.

When the father calmed down, he rushed his son to the hospital.
Although the doctor tried desperately to save the crushed bones, he
finally had to amputate the fingers from both the boy's hands.

When the boy woke up from the surgery & saw his bandaged stubs, he
innocently said," Daddy, I'm sorry about your truck." Then he
asked,"but when are my fingers going to grow back?"

The father went home & committed suicide.

Think about the story the next time you see someone spill milk at a
dinner table or hear a baby crying. Think first before u lose your
patience with someone you love. Trucks can be repaired. Broken
bones & hurt feelings often can't.

Too often we fail to recognize the difference between the person and
the performance. People make mistakes. We are allowed to make
mistakes. But the actions we take while in a rage will haunt us forever.

Pause and ponder.
Think before you act.
Be patient.
Understand & love.

*****************************************************************

You Never Lose by Loving.
You Always Lose by Holding Back.

The new dream: HEAVEN ON EARTH

(Re-type for my best friend LNH -- Thanks for everything :o))

I want you to forget everything you have learned in your whole life. This is the beginning of a new understanding, a new dream.

The dream you are living is your creation. It is our perception of reality that you can change at any time. You have the power to create hell, and you have the power to create heaven. Why not dream a different dream? Why not use your mind, your imagination, and your emotions to dream heaven.

Just use your imagination and a tremendous thing will happen. Imagine that you have the ability to see the world with different eyes, whenever you choose. Each time you open your eyes, you see the world around you in a different way.

Close your eyes now, and then open them and look inside.

What you will see is love coming out of the trees, love coming out of the sky, love coming out of the light. You will perceive love from everything around you. This is the state of bliss. You perceive love directly from everything, including ourself and other humans. Even when humans are sad or angry, behind these feelings you can see that they are also sending love.

Using your imagination and your new eyes of perception, I want you to see yourself living a new life, a new dream, a life where you don't need to justify your existence and you are free to be who you really are. Imagine that you have permission to be happy and to really enjoy your life. Your life is free of conflict with yourself and with others.

Imagine living your life without fear of expressing your dreams. You know what you want, what you don't want, and when you want it. You are free to change your life the way you really want to. You are not afraid to ask for what you need, to say yes or no to anything or anyone.

Imagine living your life without the fear of being judge by others. No no longer rule your behavior according to what others may think about you. You are no longer responsible for anyone's opinion. You have no need to control anyone, and no one controls you, either.

Imagine living your life without judging others. You can easily forgive others and let go of any judgements that you have. You don't have the need to be right, and you don't need to make anyone else wrong. You respect yourself and everyone else, and they respect you in return.

Imagine living without the fear of loving and not being loved. You are no longer afraid to be rejected, and you don't have the need to be accepted. You can say "I love you" with no shame or justification. You can walk in the world with your heart completely open, and not be afraid to be hurt.

Imagine iving your life withour being afraid to take a risk and to explore it. You are not afraid to lose anything. You are not afraid to be alive in the world, and you are not afraid to die.

Imagine that you love yourself just the way you are. You love your body just the way it is, and you love your emotions just the way they are. You know that you are perfect just as you are.

The reason I ask you to imagine these things is because they really entirely possible! You can live in the stage of grace, the state of bliss, the dream of heaven. But in order to experience this dream, you must first understand what it is.

Only love has the ability to put you in that state of bilss. Being in bliss is like being in love. Being in love is like being in bliss. You are floating in the clouds. You are perceiving love wherever you go. It is entirely possible to live this way all the time. It is possible because others have done it and they are no different from you. They live in bliss because they have changed their agreements and are dreaming a different dream.

Once you feel what it means to live in a state of bliss, you will love it. You will know that heaven on earth is truth -- that heaven truly exists. Once you know that heaven exists, once you know it is possible to stay there, it's up to you to make the effort to do it. Two thousand years ago, Jesus told us about the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of love, but hardly anyone was ready to hear this. They said, "What are you talking about? My heart is empty, I don't feel the love that you are talking about; I don't feel the peace that you have." You don't have to do this. Just imagine that his message of love is possible and you will find that it is yours.

The world is very beautiful and very wonderful. Life can be very easy when love is your way of life. You can be loving all the time. This is your choice. You may not have a reason to love, but you can love because to love makes you so happy. Love is action only produces happiness. Love will give you inner peace. It will change your perception of everything.

You can see everything with the eyes of love. You can be aware that there is love all around you. When you live this way, there is no longer a fog in your mind. The MITOLE has gone on a permanent vacation. This is what humans have been seeking for centuries. For thousands of years we have been searching for happiness. Happiness is the lost paradise. Humans have worked so hard to reach this point, and this is part of the evolution of the mind. This is the future of humanity.

This way of life is possible, and it's in your hands. Moses called it the Promised Land, Buddha called it Nirvana, Jesus called it Heaven, and the Toltect called it a New Dream. Unfortunately, your identity is mixed with the dream of the planet. All of your beliefs and agreements are there in the fog. You feel the presence of the parasite and believe it is you. This makes it difficult to let go -- to release the parasite and create the space to experience love. You are attached to the Judge, attached to the Victim. Suffering makes you feel safe because you know it so well.

But there is really no reason to suffer. The only reason you suffer is because you choose to suffer. If you look at your life you will find many execuses to suffer, but a good reason to suffer you will not find. The same is true for happiness. The only reason you are happy is because you choose to be happy. Happiness is a choice, and so is suffering.

May be we can not escape from the destiny of the human, but we have a choice: to suffer our destiny or to enjoy our destiny. To suffer, or to love and be happy. To live in hell, or to live in heaven. My choice is in heaven. What is yours?

-By Don Miguel Ruiz -

A Graduation Gift

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in
a dealer's showroom,and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box.

Curious, and somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angry, he rose his voice to his father and said "with all your money you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day.

Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed
all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago.

With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matt.7:11, "And if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father which is in Heaven, give to those who ask Him?"

As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?

-Unknown-

FRIENDSHIP - Simple vs Real

Anyone can stand by you when you are right, but a FRIEND will stand by you even when you are wrong!
A simple friend identifies himself when he calls.
A real friend doesn't have to.
A simple friend opens a conversation with a full news bulletin on his life.
A real friend says, "What's new with you?"
A simple friend thinks the problems you whine about are recent.
A real friend says, "You've been whining about the same thing for 14 years. Get off your duff and do something about it."
A simple friend has never seen you cry.
A real friend has shoulders soggy from your tears.
A simple friend doesn't know your parents' first names.
A real friend has their phone numbers in his address book.
A simple friend brings a bottle of wine to your party.
A real friend comes early to help you cook and stays late to help you clean.
A simple friend hates it when you call after he has gone to bed.
A real friend asks you why you took so long to call.
A simple friend seeks to talk with you about your problems.
A real friend seeks to help you with your problems.
A simple friend wonders about your romantic history.
A real friend could blackmail you with it.
A simple friend, when visiting, acts like a guest.
A real friend opens your refrigerator and helps himself
A simple friend thinks the friendship is over when you have an argument.
A real friend knows that it's not a friendship until after you've had a fight.
A simple friend expects you to always be there for them.
A real friend expects to always be there for you!

I'm Special

I'm special. In all the world, there's nobody like me. Since the beginning of time, there has never been another person like me.
Nobody has my smile. Nobody has my eyes, my nose, my hair, my hands,my voice. I'm special.

No one can be found who has my handwriting. Nobody, anywhere, has my tastes... for films or music or art. No one sees things just as I
do. In all of time, there's been no one who laughs like me, no one who cries like me. And what makes me laugh and cry will never produce identical laughter and tears from anybody else, ever. No one reacts to any situation just as I would react. I'm special.
I'm the only one in all of creation who has my set of abilities. Oh, there will always be somebody who is better at one of the things I'm good at, but no one in the universe can reach the quality of my
combination of talents, ideas, abilities, and feelings. Like a room full of musical instruments, some may excel alone, but none can match the symphony of sound when all are played together. I'm a symphony. Through all of eternity, no one will ever look, talk, walk, think,or do like me. I'm special. I'm rare. And in all rarity there is
great value. Because of my great rare value, I need not attempt to imitate others. I will accept -- yes celebrate -- my differences.
I'm special. And I'm beginning to realize that it's no accident that I'm special. I'm beginning to see that I was made for a very special purpose. There is a job for me to do that no one else can do as well as I. Out of all the billions of applicants, only one is qualified; only one has the right combination of what it takes.
That one is me. ME..... because I'm special.


Attitude

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude to me, is more important than facts.

It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than
circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people
think or say or do. It is more important than appearance,
giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company...a church...a
home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the
attitude we will embrace for than day. We cannot change our past... we
cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We
cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the
one string we have, and that is our attitude.

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I
react to it. And so it is with you....we are in charge of our
attitudes.

Making others happy
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man
was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help
drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only
window.
The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.

And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit
up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to
live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and
enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the
man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the
picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by.
Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it in his
mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive
words. Days and weeks passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only
to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died
peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it for himself.
He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.
It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased
roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

Epilogue. . . .There is tremendous happiness in making others happy,
despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but
happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all of the things you have that money can't buy. "Today is a gift, that's why it is called the present."

Something to think about
Should you find it hard to get to sleep tonight; Just remember the homeless family who has no bed to lie in.
Should you find yourself stuck in traffic; don't despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.
Should you have a bad day at work; Think of the man who has been out of work for the last three months.
Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; Think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return.
Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; Think of the woman in some third world country, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week, for $15.00 to feed her family.
Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; Think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.
Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; Think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.
Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering; what is life all about, what is my purpose? Be thankful, there are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity.
Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; Remember, things could be worse. You could be them!!!
Should you feel depressed because of your weight; Remember, obesity is curable; AIDS is not.
Should you decide to send this to a friend; You might brighten someone's day!

Unknown Author

A Story To Live By

- By Ann Wells - (Los Angeles Times)

"Dance as if no one's watching, love as if it's never going to hurt." -- Stuart Appleby

"People say true friends must always hold hands, but true friends don't need to hold hands because they know
the other hand will always be there." -- Unknown Author



My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister's bureau and lifted out a tissue-wrapped package. "This,"
he said, "is not a slip. This is lingerie." He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip. It was exquisite; silk, handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached. "Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least 8 or 9 years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for
a special occasion. Well, I guess this is the occasion." He took the slip from me and put it on the bed with the other
clothes we were taking to the mortician. His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the
drawer shut and turned to me. "Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you're alive is a special occasion."

I remembered those words through the funeral and the days that followed when I helped him and my niece attend to all the sad chores that follow an unexpected death. I thought about them on the plane returning to California from the Midwestern town where my sister's family lives. I thought about all the things that she hadn't seen or heard or done. I
thought about the things that she had done without realizing that they were special.

I'm still thinking about his words, and they've changed my life.

I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting on the deck and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in
the garden. I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings. Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experience to savor, not endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now and
cherish them. I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special event-such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, the first camellia blossom. I wear my good blazer to the market if I like it. My theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 for one small bag of groceries without wincing. I'm not saving
my good perfume for special parties; clerks in hardware stores and tellers in banks have noses that function as
well as my party-going friends. "Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now. I'm not sure what my sister would've done had
she known that she wouldn't be here for the tomorrow we all take for granted. I think she would have called family members and a few close friends. She might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles. I like to think she would have gone out for a Chinese dinner, her favorite food. I'm guessing -
I'll never know. It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew that my hours were limited. Angry because I put off seeing good friends whom I was going to get in touch with - someday. Angry because I hadn't
written certain letters that I intended to write - one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband and daughter often enough how much I truly love them.

I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that it is special.

Every day, every minute, every breath truly is... a gift from God.

May love litter your life with blessings!

BEAUTY SECRETS

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry
For beautiful hair, let a child run his fingers through it once a day
For poise, walk with the knowledge you never walk alone
We leave you a tradition of the future. The tender loving care of human beings will never become obsolete
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, redeemed and redeemed and redeemed. Never throw anyone away
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm
As you grow older, you'll discover that you have two hands: One for helping yourself, the second for helping others
You have great days still ahead of you. May there be many of them

- Interview with God -
"Come in," God said to me. "So, you would like to interview Me?"
"If you have the time," I said.
He smiled through His beard and said:
"My time is called eternity and is enough to do everything.
What questions do you have in mind t ask me?"
"None that are new to you. What's the one thing that surprises you most about mankind?"

He answered:
"That they get bored of being children, are in a rush to grow up, and then long to be children again.
That they lose their health to make money and then lose their money to restore their health.
That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such that they live neither for the present nor the future.
That they live as if they will never die, and they die as if they had never lived..."

His hands took mine and we were silent.
After a long period, I said,
"May I ask you another question?"
He replied with a smile.

"As a Father, what would you ask your children to do for the new year?"
"To learn that they cannot make anyone love them.
What they can do is to let themselves be loved.
To learn that it takes years to build trust, and a few seconds to destroy it.
To learn that what is most valuable is not what they have in their lives, but who they have in their lives.
To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others.
There will be others better or worse than they are.
To learn that a rich person is not one who has the most, but is one who needs the least.
To learn that they should control their attitudes, otherwise their attitudes will control them.
To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in persons we love, and that it takes many years to heal them.
To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness.
To learn that there are persons that love them dearly, but simply do not know how to show their feelings.
To learn that money can buy everything but happiness.
To learn that while at times they may be entitled o be upset, that does not give them the right to upset those around them.
To learn that great dreams do not require great wings, but a landing gear to achieve.
To learn that true friends are scarce, he/she who has found one has found a true treasure.
To learn that it is not always enough that they be forgiven by others, but that they forgive themselves.
To learn that they are masters of what they keep to themselves and slaves of what they say.
To learn that they shall reap what they plant; if they plant gossip they will harvest intrigues, if they plant love they
will harvest happiness.
To learn that true happiness is not to achieve their goals but to learn to be satisfied with what they already achieved.
To learn that happiness is a decision.
They decide to be happy with what they are and have, or die from envy and jealousy of what they lack.
To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see something totally different.
To learn that those who are honest with themselves without considering the consequences go far in life.
To learn that even though they may think they have nothing to give, when a friend cries with them, they find the strength to appease the pain.
To learn that by trying to hold on to loved ones, they very quickly push them away; and by letting go of those they love,
they will be side by side forever.
To learn that even though the word "love" has many different meanings; it loses value when it is overstated.
To learn that they can never do something extraordinary for ME to love them; I simply do.
To learn that the shortest distance they could be from ME is the distance of a prayer."

-Unknown-

MOM, the greatest ...

When you came into the world, she held you in her arms.
You thanked her by wailing like a banshee.

When you were 1 year old, she fed you and bathed you.
You thanked her by crying all night long.

When you were 2 years old, she taught you to walk.
You thanked her by running away when she called.

When you were 3 years old, she made all your meals with love.
You thanked her by tossing your plate on the floor.

When you were 4 years old, she gave you some crayons.
You thanked her by coloring the dining room table.

When you were 5 years old, she dressed you for the holidays.
You thanked her by plopping into the nearest pile of mud

When you were 6 years old, she walked you to school.
You thanked her by screaming, "I'M NOT GOING!"

When you were 7 years old, she bought you a
baseball.
You thanked her by throwing it through the
next-door-neighbor's window.

When you were 8 years old, she handed you an ice cream.
You thanked her by dripping it all over your lap.

When you were 9 years old, she paid for piano
lessons.
You thanked her by never even bothering to practice.

When you were 10 years old, she drove you all day, rom soccer to gymnastics to one birthday party after another.
You thanked her by jumping out of the car and never looking back.

When you were 11 years old, she took you and your friends to the movies.
You thanked her by asking to sit in a different row.

When you were 12 years old, she warned you not to watch certain TV shows.
You thanked her by waiting until she left the house.

Those teenage years

When you were 13, she suggested a haircut that was becoming.
You thanked her by telling her she had no taste.

When you were 14, she paid for a month away at summer camp.
You thanked her by forgetting to write a single letter.

When you were 15, she came home from work, looking for a hug.
You thanked her by having your bedroom door locked.

When you were 16, she taught you how to driver her car.
You thanked her by taking it every chance you could.

When you were 17, she was expecting an important call.
You thanked her by being on the phone all night.

When you were 18, she cried at your high school graduation.
You thanked her by staying out partying until dawn.

Growing old and gray

When you were 19, she paid for your college tuition, drove you to campus,carried your bags.
You thanked her by saying good-bye
outside the dorm so you wouldn't be embarrassed in front of your friends.

When you were 20, she asked whether you were seeing anyone.
You thanked her by saying, "It's none of your
business."

When you were 21, she suggested certain careers for your future.
You thanked her by saying, "I don't want to be like you."

When you were 22, she hugged you at your college graduation.
You thanked her by asking whether she could pay for a trip to Europe.

When you were 23, she gave you furniture for your first apartment.
You thanked her by telling your friends it was ugly.

When you were 24, she met your fiance and asked about your plans for the future.
You thanked her by glaring and growling, "Muuhh-ther, please!"

When you were 25, she helped to pay for your wedding, and she cried and told you how deeply she loved you.
You thanked her by moving halfway across the country.

When you were 30, she called with some advice on the baby.
You thanked her by telling her, "Things are different now."

When you were 40, she called to remind you of a relative's birthday.
You thanked her by saying you were "really busy right now."

When you were 50, she fell ill and needed you to take care of her.
You thanked her by reading about the burden parents become to their children.

And then, one day, she quietly died. And everything you never did came crashing down like thunder.

"Rock me baby, rock me all night long."
The hand who rocks the cradle...may rock the world".

Let us take a moment of the time just to pay
tribute/show appreciation to the person called MOM though some may not say it openly to their mother.
There's no substitute for her. Cherished every single moment. Though at times she may not be the best of friends, may not
agree to our thoughts, she is still your mother!!! She will be there for you...to listen to your woes, your braggings, your frustations, etc. Ask yourself.....have
you put aside enough time for her, to listen to her "blues" of working in
the kitchen, her tiredness??? Be tactful, loving and still show her due respect though you may have a different view from hers. Once gone, only fond memories of the past and also regrets will be left.

DON'T TAKE FOR GRANTED THE THINGS CLOSEST TO YOUR HEART. LOVE HER MORE THAN YOU LOVE YOURSELF. LIFE IS MEANINGLESS WITHOUT HER...

Eastern Philosophy

* Nghi~ dde^'n tha^n the^? ddu+`ng ca^`u kho^ng bi.nh kho^?, vi` kho^ng bi.nh kho^? thi` tham du.c de^~ sanh.

* So^'ng tre^n ddo+`i ddu+`ng ca^`u kho^ng hoan na.n, vi` ddo+`i kho^ng hoan na.n thi` kie^u sa no^?i da^.y

* Cu+'u xe't ta^m ta'nh ddu+`ng ca^`u kho^ng khu'c ma('c, vi` kho^ng khu'c ma('c thi` so+? ho.c kho^ng tha`nh.

* Nghie^n cu+'u dda.o ho.c thi`ddu+`ng ca^`u kho^ng ma chu+o+'ng, kho^ng ma chu+o+'ng thi` chi' nguye^.n kho^ng kie^n cu+o+`ng.

* La`m vie^.c ddu+`ng mong de^~ tha`nh, vi` vie^.c de^~ tha`nh thi` lo`ng sinh kie^u nga.o.

* Giao tie^'p vo+'i ng` ddu+`ng mong lo+.i mi`nh, vi` mong lo+.i mi`nh la` ma^'t dda.o nghi~a.

* So^'ng o+? ddo+`i ddu+`ng mong thua^.n theo y' mi`nh, thua^.n theo y' mi`nh thi` ta^'t kie^u ca(ng.

* Thi a^n ddu+`ng ca^`u ba'o dda'p, thi a^n ca^`u ba'o dda'p la` co' y' mu+u ddo^`.

* Tha^'y lo+.i ddu+`ng nhu'ng tay va`o, vi` nhu'ng tay va`o thi` tham si ta^'t ddo^.ng.

* Oan u+'c kho^ng ca^`n pha?i gia?i ba`y, vi` bie^.n ba.ch gia?i ba`y la` nha^n qua? chu+a tho^ng.

(Su+u ta^`m)

Letting Go ...!

Letting Go ...!

- By nttn -

I have always known that letting go of something or somebody is not easy to do, especially when I have become so attached to that thing or that person ...

At least with things, I can always console myself by saying ... "Well, it's only A thing, I can always try to replace it with another thing!"

But with a person, what can I do?

I have this thing about myself -- not sure whether I'd call it a weakness or not though -- that have caused me countless pain. I have a hard time letting go of the people I have come to care for.

But why? Why do I have to let go?

With all the times that I have chosen to invest in those people, I would have thought that I am now entitled to have them closer to me ... if not forever. They have become an important part of my life, and that's the way I'd like to keep it.

I know changes are inevitable ... but still, who said I'd have to like it? Some people have told me that I'm so obsessed with the past ... that I tend to live in the past but not the present.

No, I don't think so! I treasure what I have right now in the present, but that does not prevent me from reminiscing the past now and then ... sometimes more than other time. Like what I'm doing tonight ...!

And whenever I think about the past, I feel certain sadness when I realize that so many people that I used to know and that I was close to at one time somehow have become virtually stranger to me now. And I wonder ... "What have happened to the connection that I used to have with this person? We used to be close friends! I used to ask him for advices. I used to tell her everything that happened in that period of my life. We used to be best friends. What happened?"

What happened?

I have struggled with that question so often. And the only answer I can come up with is ... people changed -- not just with other people but myself included. And things have changed ...!

That is a part of life, I guess!

I guess each of us have chosen to follow certain path in our life. At times, our paths cross and for that period of life, we share certain common ground. And then eventually, our paths will split as each of us chose to pursue different things, different career, different ambitions, ... in life.

I may cross some people's paths over again and again. There were others that I never see them again.

There is this irony though. Though there were people whose paths I have crossed so often, they had no influence in my life whatsoever. However, there were people that have entered my life for a short period of time and yet they affected me deeply and changed me forever.

There were times like tonight I happen to reminisce about the past and I suddenly miss THEM so much. THEM ... those people that had once played an important part in my life. I miss them, I miss them so much. I miss the closeness that I once had with them. I miss being able to turn to them for advices. I miss having them being a part of my life.

All I have left of them is this shadowy memories ... for memories, with times, will start to fade away ... as they had faded away from my life.

Life does go on. I'm bounded to cross path with many others. But still, I have a hard time ... Letting Go!


nttn 14 May 1999

LOVE, WEALTH and SUCCESS

-Unknown Author-

LOVE, WEALTH and SUCCESS

A woman came out of her house and saw three (3) old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them.

She said "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat."

"Is the man of the house home?", they asked.

"No", she said. "He's out" ...

"Then we cannot come in", they replied...

In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened..

Go tell them I am home and invite them in...

The woman went out and invited the men in...

We don't go into a house together", they replied...

"Why is that?" she wanted to know..

One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth...he said pointing to one of his friends...and said pointing to another one, "He is Success and I am Love". Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of
us you want in your home."

The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed.

"How nice", he said! "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth." His wife disagreed... "My dear, why don't we invite Success"?

Their daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love...Our home will be filled with love"...

"Let us heed our daughter-in-law's advice", said the husband to his wife..."Go out and invite Love to be our guest."

The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest." Love got up and started walking toward the house..The other 2 also got up and followed him...

Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: "I only invited Love, why are you coming in?"

The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success the other two of us would've stayed out..but since you invited Love, wherever he goes, we go with him.. Wherever there is Love there is also wealth and success !


Father, I ask you to bless my friend reading this right now!
Lord, show them a new revelation of Your love and power.

Holy Spirit, I ask You to minister to their spirit at this very moment.

Where there is pain, give them Your peace & mercy.

Where there is self-doubting, release a renewed confidence in Your ability to work through them.

Where there is tiredness, or exhaustion, I ask You to give them understanding, patience, & strength as they learn submission to Your leading.

Where there is spiritual stagnation, I ask You to renew them by revealing Your nearness, and by drawing them into greater intimacy with You.

Where there is fear, reveal Your love, and release to them Your courage.

Where there is a sin blocking them, reveal it, and break its hold over my friend's life.

Bless their finances, give them greater vision, and raise up leaders, and friends to support, and encourage them. Give each of them discernment to recognize the demonic forces around them, and reveal to them the power they have in You to defeat it.

I ask You to do these things in Jesus' name!

In GOD's love,

Your friend in Jesus

AMEN

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Life is fragile

Long time ago, there was an Emperor who told his horseman that if he could ride on his horse and cover as much area as he like, then the Emperor would give him the area of land as much as he had covered.

Sure enough the horsemean quickly jumped onto his horse and rode as fast as possible to cover as much area as he could. He kept on riding and riding, beating the horse to go as fast as possible. When he was hungry or tired, he did not stop because he wanted to cover as much area as possible.

Then, he came to a point where he had covered a very substantial area and he got very tired and was dying. Then hes aid to himself, "Why did I pushed myself so hard to cover so much area? Now I am dying and I only need a very small area to bury myself".

The above "story" is similiar with the journey of our life. We push very hard everyday to make more money, power and recognition. We neglect our health, time with family and appreciating the surrounding beauty and the hobbies we want to do. One day when we think back, we will say we don't really need that much but then we cannot turn back the clock for what we have missed.

No charge

My little boy came into the kitchen this evening while I was fixing supper. And he handed me a piece of paper he'd been writing on. So, after wiping my hands on my apron, I read it, and this is what it said:

For mowing the grass, $5.
For making my own bed this week, $1.
For going to the store $.50.
For playing with baby brother while you went shopping, $.25.
For taking out the trash, $1.
For getting a good report card, $5.
And for raking the yard, $2.

Well, I looked at him standing there expectantly, and a thousand memories flashed through my mind. So, I picked up the paper, and turning it over, this is what I wrote:

For the nine months I carried you, growing inside me, No Charge.
For the nights I sat up with you, doctored you prayed for you, No charge.
For the time and the tears, and the cost through the years, No Charge.
For the nights filled with dread, and the worries ahead, No Charge.
For advice and the knowledge, and the cost of your college, No Charge.
For the toys, food and clothes, and for wiping your nose, No Charge.
Son, when you add it all up, the full cost of my love is No Charge.

Well, when he finished reading, he had great big tears in his eyes. And he looked up at me and he said, "Mama, I sure do love you."
Then he took the pen and in great big letters he wrote: PAID IN FULL.


Masks

Don't be fooled by the face I wear, for I wear a thousand masks,
And none of them are me.
Don't be fooled, for God's sake, don't be fooled.

I give you the impression that I'm secure,
That confidence is my name and coolness my game,
And that I need no one. But don't believe me.

Beneath dwells the real me in confusion, in aloneness, in fear.
That's why I create a mask to hide behind, to shield me from the glance.
That knows, but such a glance is precisely my salvation.

That is, if it's followed by acceptance, if it's followed by love.
It's the only thing that can liberate me from my own self-built prison walls.
I'm afraid that deep down I'm nothing and that I'm just no good,
And that you will see this and reject me.

And so begins the parade of masks. I idly chatter to you
I tell you everything that's really nothing, and
Nothing of what's everything, of what's crying within me.

Please listen carefully and try to hear what I am NOT saying.
I'd really like to be genuine and spontaneous and ME.
But you've got to help me. You've got to hold out your hand.

Each time you're kind and gentle, and encouraging,
Each time you try to understand because you really care,
My heart begins to grow wings, very feeble wings, but wings.

With your sensitivity and sympathy, and your power of understanding
You alone can release me from my shallow world of uncertainty.
It will not be easy for you. The nearer you approach me,
The blinder I may strike back.
But I'm told that Love is stronger than strong walls,
And in this lies my hope, my only hope.

Please try to beat down these walls with firm hands,
But gentle hands, for a child is very sensitive.

Who am I, you may wonder,
I am every man you meet,
And also every woman that you meet,
And I am YOU, also.

- Unknown Author -

Believing
Many years ago there was an elementary teacher named Mrs.. Thompson. As
she stood in front of her 5th grade class on that very first day of
school, she told them a lie.
Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said she loved them all the same. But that was impossible, because right there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with other children, his clothes were messy and he constantly needed a bath. Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's, then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.
The school where Mrs.Thompson taught, required her to review each child's past records. She put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.
First Grade: "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners . . . he is a joy to be around."
Second Grade: "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
Third Grade: "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't show much interest. His home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."
Fourth Grade: "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class."
By now, Mrs.. Thompson realized the problem and was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, all wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's.
His present was clumsily wrapped in heavy, brown grocery bag paper. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to giggle when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one quarter full of cheap perfume. But, the children's laughter ceased when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, put it on, and dabbed some of the perfume on her
wrist.
Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smell just like my Mom used to."
After the children left she cried a long time. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs.. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became "teacher's pet."
One year later, she found a note under her door. "Mrs. Thompson, you're still the best teacher I ever had in my whole life. Teddy"
Six years went by before she heard from him again. He wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class. "Mrs.. Thompson, you're still the best teacher I ever had in my whole life. "Teddy"
Four years later, she received another letter, stating that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college, first in his class! He assured Mrs. Thompson she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had.
Four more years passed and before the next letter. This time he explained that after he received his bachelor's degree, he decided to go further. "You are still the best and favorite teacher I ever had." But now his name was a little longer - the letter was signed, "Theodore F. Stoddard, MD"
The story doesn't end here. You see, there was one last letter in the spring. Teddy had met a girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died several years ago. He wondered if Mrs. Thompson would agree to sit in the place of honor at his wedding, usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, she did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing, and the
perfume Teddy remembered his mother wearing, their last Christmas together. They hugged each other and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs.. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me I could make a difference."
Mrs.. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I never learned how to teach until I met you."
Warm someone's heart today . . . Pass it along and please remember that wherever you go and whatever you do, you will have opportunity to touch and/or change a person's life. Please try to do it in a positive way.